Message: “A Light in Dark Places” from Matthew Dyer

by | Jun 11, 2017

This short letter addresses some of the challenges facing churches on the first century who were expecting Jesus to return in bodily form very soon. The fact that this had not happened was confusing to many followers (because of things Jesus himself had said) and had led to both a sense of abandonment within the community as well as derision from without. These internal and external pressures had distracted the followers who were enticed by by a variety of competing philosophies. We’ll explore the various distractions we face today, the apparent “foolishness” of faith in our own context and explore reasons for hope in dark times. We’ll also consider what Jesus meant when he talked about returning.

Leaders, Communities, and their Writings

by | Jun 4, 2017

A message from the series “Peter Paul and John.” In this message, we take a look at three of the most prominent leaders in the early Jesus movement (Peter, Paul and John) and consider their personalities, their personal connection to Jesus and the specific kind of responsive faith this seemed to inspire. We also explore how communities evolved around these key leaders and how early Christian faith was expressed in different ways in these communities as evidenced by the writings handed down to us in the Christian Scriptures. The character of this faith was, in part, a response to the challenges of the cultural milieu and other religious assertions and so we consider our own spiritual challenges in this light.

Worship and Wonder

by | May 28, 2017

A message from the series “Worship and Wonder.” The last in our series, “The Best Is Yet To Come,” this message looks at developing a culture of intentional connection to the presence of God through corporate and individual prayer and worship.